Baekhyun was a curious kid. He always looks up the hill from where he lives, and asks :”Dad, who lives in that huge castle?” Everytime he does, his father would just shake his head and continue plowing, telling him not to ask about that anymore. It was a wise choice to not interfere with the lives of the people up the hill, as the owner of that huge castle was not a kind man. Known to prosecute intruders as he has the authority to do so.

However, Baekhyun never takes instructions well. Succumbing to his curiosity one day when his father was out buying some seeds, he scampered up the hill. Aware to not get caught - he would be scared after all the horror stories his father told him of that particular place. He should have heard of the phrase “curiosity kills the cat”.

As he peeps through the cracks in the walls,what he sees was not of armed guards. All he sees is a little girl sitting alone in a wide expanse of grass. Wearing a yellow sundress and a hat too large for her head, her light brown hair fluttered in the breeze as she used her hands to cup a flower, lifting it up to her nose and sniffing it, a wide smile adorning her face.

Ever since that day, he snuck out every other day. Every time only to find the girl in that same place, sitting with flowers surrounding her petite body. He could not get enough of her sweet smile, the endearing way she looks at the small, fragile flowers she so desperately loved..

Good things always have to come to an end. One day Baekhyun did his daily trip to the castle walls only to peep through the crack and not see the girl in her usual spot. Feeling his heart sink - he really wanted to see the girl, he felt a rush of worry. Did someone kidnap the girl or something? His questions were answered when he heard some sniffing, as he looked through the cracks, he sees waterfalls of tears cascading down the girl’s face.

Acting without thinking, Baekhyun glanced around for a way to get to her. Looking around, he sees a large crack in the walls near the ground, too small for an adult to squeeze through, but he was rather small for a child. He managed to slip through the hole and into the castle.

“Hey don’t cry.” It was his voice that snapped the girl out of her sobbing, curiously glancing up at him. Realising his mistake - after all, he was an intruder in her home, he started to panic. Memories of stories his father fed him about this place stormed his mind. Would she lock him in a dungeon or feed him to the snakes? He shivered. “P-please don’t feed me to the snakes.”

Tilting her head for awhile, she broke out into laughter, using her tiny wrist to wipe away her stray tears.

“I’ve always known you were watching me.” The girl looked him in the eyes. “You aren’t exactly subtle you know?”

Baekhyun flinched, he knew that he had made a ruckus whenever he took his spot behind the wall - stepping on leaves and snapping twigs.

“You’re not going to kill me?” Beakhyun weakly asked, shuffling his feet in the soft grass below.

“It gets lonely in here.” The girl smiled through her teary eyes, that smile that Baekhyun always came back for.

“I’m Baekhyun, what’s your name?”

“Miyoung.”

-

From then on, Baekhyun would sneak through that hole every other day just to keep Miyoung company. The thought of really getting caught by the guards vanished with the thought of seeing Miyoung again behind that wall.

When time passed, those smiles that Baekhyun came back for slowly diminished, teary faces were the norm, but however Baekhyun pried, Miyoung would never tell Baekhyun why.

“Miyoung-ah, what happened?” Baekhyun plopped down onto the grass next to Miyoung, a hand patting her thigh affectionately.

“It’s nothing, Baekkie.” Miyoung sniffed, using her small hands to wipe away her tears, to wipe away Baekhyun’s worries.

“There’s obviously something wrong.” Baekhyun snapped, breaking through his calm facade and ignorance about the matter. “Why don’t you want to tell me? You don’t trust me anymore?”

“Baekkie…” Miyoung started sobbing into Baekhyun’s shoulders, also unable to keep up with her fake smiles. “I’m engaged to someone I don’t know, and I’m going to get married when I’m of age.”

“I only want to marry you.” She wrapped her arms around Baekhyun, burying her face into his shirt, causing the material to turn damp.

Devastated. That was what Baekhyun felt at that moment. He let out a pained laugh. How childish they were, thinking that a girl of that authority would marry a farmer’s son. Life was not a fairy tale, where princess fall in love with street rats and get married happily ever after. No, even the street rats turn into princes before they get married.

However, he had to stay strong for Miyoung’s sake. Her happiness was his after all.

Miyoung and Baekhyun stayed in their position, legs tangled together and Miyoung clutching onto Baekhyun’s shirt tightly, afraid to let go. Baekhyun had his arms wrapped around her torso, gently her hair.

Baby don’t cry tonight eodumi geochigo namyeon

Baby don’t cry tonight eobseotdeon iri doel geoya

Mulgeopumi doeneun geoseun nega aniya kkeutnae mollaya haetdeon

So baby don’t cry cry nae sarangi neol jikil teni

Baekhyun’s smooth voice swept through the meadow, a lullaby luring Miyoung to sleep, to forget all their problems with a small relaxed smile adorning her face.

“I only want to marry you too.”

Their daily meetings were now filled with Baekhyun’s melodic voice. It was their paradise.

-

“Don’t you dare meet that boy again.”

Miyoung flinched from her father’s harsh tone as he slammed his fist down onto the wooden table. How her father found out about their secret meetings was a mystery but it does not change the fact that her father knows.

“B-but father.”

“I see you with him again, he and his family’s head would be hanging outside our gates for all to see. A warning for trespassers.” Her father growled, his face an ugly smirk as his daughter cowered in his presence.

The sun sets even in paradise.

-

“Miyoung, what happened? Why are you avoiding me?” A confused Baekhyun crawled through the hole to stand in front of Miyoung, who had not been in their usual spot for the past week. Baekhyun came back everyday even though she was not there, and his persistence paid off.

“I don’t want to see you anymore, Baekhyun.” Miyoung stated, voice firm as she looked Baekhyun straight in the eye.

“W-why?” Baekhyun’s eyes widened like saucers, unable to comprehend what she was asking of him. “But you said- “

“If you don’t leave, I’m calling the guards.” The girl turned her back to him, hiding her face behind her bangs.

Hesitantly, Baekhyun left. Leaving his heart behind in the process.

Confirming that Baekhyun left, Miyoung sunk to her knees, tears pooling around her eyes.

“I will never stop loving you, Baekkie.”

This time, there was no one to sing for her when she is crying.

-

Baekhyun went back time and time again, only to be threatened. Soon, he stopped trying to approach Miyoung. However, he never stopped watching through the cracks of the looming walls.

Miyoung soon forgets about Baekhyun. In her teenage years, all she had to worry about were what gowns to wear to this particular party or sleepovers and parties that and she and her friends threw. Her fiance kept her attention away from thinking about Baekhyun the most though.

Daily trips to the meadow with him was a norm. It was almost like Baekhyun is a distant memory. Just a fragment of her imagination. To her, it was.

It was never Baekhyun now. It has always been Chanyeol.

And she thinks she loves him.

All Baekhyun could do was to watch her fall for someone else.

What happened to our promise, Miyoung?

-

The news was huge. Miyoung was about to get married to Chanyeol that very day, and everyone in the village is bustling about it. Everyone was invited, and it was going to be the biggest event that year. Everybody is going to the wedding. Baekhyun was not an exception.

The area was filled with elderly, adults and infants alike. All anticipating the arrival of the soon-to-be married couple. A horn soon sounded, signalling the entrance of the couple.

Miyoung was dressed in a beautiful white gown. The gown flowed past her ankles as she walked, almost floated onto the raised platform in the middle of the crowd. Some of her hair was tied up into a soft bun upon her head, while the rest of her hair cascaded down like a waterfall onto her back.

After her followed Chanyeol. Dressed in a neat black tuxedo and giving the crowd a huge grin, showing his white teeth. The crowd cheered at that, some reaching their hands to try to touch them. They were like celebrities that day.

In the crowd stood a single man. Face sullen, unlike the rest. All he could do was to see his love in the arms of another man. But no, he would not give up that easily.

“Park Chanyeol, do you take Lee Miyoung to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage?...”

The pastor’s voice continued to bellow out, the crowd listening attentively, some with tears in their eyes. “...for as long as you both live?”

“I do.” Chanyeol grabbed Miyoung’s hand lovingly, looking into her eyes with a smile.

“Lee Miyoung, do you take Park Chanyeol to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage?...”

Miyoung was about to say “I do”, when a sudden voice interrupted her.

Baby don’t cry, tonight.

A familiar voice sang from the crowd. It was much huskier than before, but Miyoung would be able to recognise that voice anywhere.

“Baekkie!” Miyoung cried, searching through the crowd for the familiar face.

“Miyoung! I’m over here!” Baekhyun waved his arms over his head. Desperate to be noticed by Miyoung. By his love.

“Oh Baekkie.” Miyoung sobbed, pulling her hand out from Chanyeol’s, and jumping into Baekhyun’s arms. “I missed you so much.”

The crowd was in an uproar. There was confusion amongst them and people were shouting, babies crying from the sudden increase in volume.